10 Ways to Tell Him: Story 2
by Sarah Gerber
Summary: The 2nd in a series of 10 A-Team FaceMurdock stories. Crosses over with Quantum leap. Main character Sam. slash


Here's the 2nd story. Face tells Murdock he loves him with the help of Sam Beckett (Quantum leap crossover). For people unfamiliar with the show, Sam is a scientist that travels through time and takes the place of various people to put things that once went wrong right.   
  
Title: 10 Ways to Tell Him   
Author: Sarah Gerber  
Pairing: Face/Murdock  
Summary: 10 ways for Face to tell Murdock he loves him.  
Rating: PG-13  
  
**10 Ways to Tell Him**  
  
_2._  
  
"Now Sam, you're Templeton Peck, Face or Faceman to your friends. Vietnam War vet, on the run from the government, known to be able to charm anything out of anyone, ladies' man …"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute there. On the run from the government?"   
  
"Relax Sam, he's one of the good guys. He and his friends, that's the A-Team, were wrongly accused of robbing the Bank of Hanoi on their own initiative. They were under orders. Now, they help people. You know, protect the defenseless and all that."  
  
"The A-Team." Sam Beckett, the frequent but still nowhere near seasoned, time traveler furrowed his brows in concentration as he searched his swiss-cheesed memory for any information on this familiar name. "I think I remember them, Al. They're some sort of folk heroes aren't they?"   
  
"That's right. The leader of the group is Colonel John 'Hannibal' Smith. You, Lieutenant Peck, is second-in-command. Sergeant B.A. Baracus and the pilot, Captain 'Howling Mad' …" the hologram gave his handlink a few taps to get the text online again. "… Murdock make up the rest of the team." As he read the rest of the words flashing before his eyes, his normally cheery countenance turned grim.   
  
"Al, what is it. What am I doing here?"   
  
"Twenty-four hours from now, they're going to be captured. The trial will be quick, and they will be sentenced to death before a firing squad."   
  
"What?" Sam was incredulous. "For bank robbery?"   
  
"Apparently, they got implicated in a murder. They were eventually cleared with the help of evidence uncovered by Captain Murdock." Al paused and looked up gravely from the link to meet his friend's concerned gaze. "But it was five years too late."   
  
Sam felt weak in the knees. He had done this so many times, but yet he hadn't figured out how to handle news like this. Every leap still felt like the first time. Every wrong he had to right felt impossible. Sam stopped himself quickly before self-doubt overwhelmed him. There was no time for that. Lives were at stake and he would not allow himself to fail. "I need more, Al."   
  
"I'll see what I can get from Ziggy. Lieutenant Peck is still keeping mum, keeps staring at the mirror. I think he likes you." With that, he disappeared behind an invisible door, leaving Sam alone again.   
  
Just as Sam was about to continue exploring the apartment he had found himself in, he heard the door unlock and turned to find a man in a brown bomber jacket and baseball cap standing hesitantly beside the doorway.   
  
"Murdock?" Sam ventured.   
  
"Listen Face, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. I …" Both hands tucked safely inside the pockets of his khaki pants, Murdock stared at his shoes, unable to bring himself to look at his friend. He couldn't finish; he didn't know what else to say.   
  
"Murdock. Why don't you sit down and we can talk." Sam approached the visibly distressed pilot and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Murdock decided to risk a peek at whom he thought was his best friend. He wasn't as mad as he imagined. If he was angry with him, it wasn't showing on his handsome face. If their friendship was over, it wasn't showing in his gentle eyes. Feeling a bit better, he let Sam escort him to the couch.   
  
When Murdock seemed to have calmed down a little, Sam took a deep breath and said, "Now, it seems you have things you'd like to say to me." He returned Murdock's apprehensive look with an encouraging smile.   
  
"I shouldn't … I shouldn't have kissed you, Face. You're my friend, I … I shouldn't have."   
  
Sam smiled. So that was what Murdock was so worked up about. The way he was acting, you'd think he had killed someone. He was relieved, but at a loss as to what to do. He hadn't the slightest clue how Face felt about Murdock. "Great time to leap me in," he mumbled to "Him", looking up at the ceiling.   
  
"Great time to what?" Murdock was worried. Face didn't look right. He had changed somehow.   
  
"Nothing." Sam shrugged. His lips moved to offer more explanation but then he decided against it, and instead coughed awkwardly. Privately, he was trying to come up with a way to get out of this. He should let Face deal with this. He was here for the bigger, more pressing problem of the A-Team's capture and execution.   
  
Murdock looked across at Sam who seemed to be having the worst time since the POW camp. "No, Face hasn't changed. Just out friendship is all. If it still exists that is." Murdock thought sadly.   
  
"Face, you don't have to say anything. You don't feel the same way. I know that." Murdock could not stand to sit down anymore and started pacing the room. "I don't suppose you would say yes to a memory displacement operation?" Murdock asked hopefully.   
  
Sam grinned. "It wasn't that bad, Murdock."   
  
"You don't want to be around me ever again do you?"   
  
"You're still my friend." Sam whispered. Listening to the fear and desperation in this man's words had put a lump in his throat. He was sure this was what Face would say if he were here. He didn't know him but appreciated that it would take a special person to earn such devotion. He hoped to god that this Faceman could reciprocate Murdock's love. "Nothing has changed." Sam tried again, this time more convincingly, when he saw the doubt written all over Murdock's face.   
  
Sam wished he could give Murdock more. Tell him he loved him back, but he couldn't. It was breaking his heart. "Al, where are you?" he thought desperately.   
  
"You know it doesn't cheapen our friendship. All the extra feelings I have for you. You know that don't you, Face?"   
  
"Of course I do. Don't be silly." Sam answered without a moment's hesitation. Thinking Murdock could use a hug, he walked swiftly across the room and smoothly intercepted Murdock's rapid pacing with the help of strong arms and a firm, but gentle gaze. "Come here." With that, the two men held each other in a warm embrace. Sam heard Murdock sighed softly and felt his body relaxing into his arms, as though he was surrendering to the comfort he was all too happy to provide.   
  
"Sam, Sam! We've figured it out!" Al appeared out of nowhere, excitement apparent. "Uh … am I interrupting something?" Al waggled his eyebrows suggestively when he saw Sam and Murdock.   
  
Sam could not help but grimaced at Al's bad joke, but he regained his composure and signaled for him to keep talking. Al finally managed to stop smirking at the pair, but only with considerable effort.   
  
"I'm sure you know by now what happened between these two lovebirds right before you leaped in?" Sam hoped Al wasn't merely just being liberal with the use of the word "lovebirds".   
  
He nodded in the affirmative and Al continued, " Well, according to Ziggy, I don't know what Face said or _didn't_ say to him, but Murdock disappeared for a while in the original history. He didn't show up until after the arrest of the A-Team was announced. They were caught by a Colonel Decker while helping out, believe it or not, Hulk Hogan and his friend. Apparently Face scammed the ID of the wrong FBI agent."   
  
"There's an eighty-five percent chance the temporary disappearance of the good captain was a crucial factor. Ziggy figured he was either going to be important for the mission, or he was going to rescue his friends from Decker."   
  
"Face, I think I'd better get going. I'm going back to the VA. Just tell Hannibal and BA I don't feel too well when they ask about me tonight at the Hulkster's match would ya? I need to be alone for a while."   
  
Al was frantic. "Tell him you love him!"   
  
"But you don't know that," Sam protested.   
  
At Murdock's quizzical look, Sam added, " You don't know that … you need to be alone right now, Murdock."   
  
Murdock was unconvinced, wondering if he had done some permanent damage to Face's head just by revealing his feelings. Nevertheless, he went along with it. "But I do, Face ... Thanks for everything." He turned and started to leave.   
  
"No, no! He wants you to tell him. Tell him!" Al cried. "He thought he was dead, Sam, and his only regret was never having told Murdock how he felt."   
  
Relief washed over Sam. He quickly reached for Murdock's hand and held it tightly. "Don't go. Please." History was going to change.   
  



End file.
